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Movie Review: Wanted

Movie Review: Wanted

This film was nothing like what I expected.

Published June 27, 2008

This film was nothing like what I expected. One of the stars of the film—and I won’t mention any names—told me that it was a western. So imagine my surprise when I saw James McAvoy sitting in an office cubicle, Angelina Jolie dressed in form-fitting designer garb and ;driving a sports car and Morgan Freeman strolling around in a suit and tie as opposed to chaps and a cowboy hat.

But since I’m not that fond of modern-day westerns with computer-generated additives, I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw in “Wanted,” which hits theaters on Friday.

Based on the graphic novel (comic book), there’s never really a dull moment in this action thriller set in Chicago. The film revolves around the transformation of Wesley Gibson (McAvoy), a slacker with a dead-end job and a best friend who is sleeping with his girlfriend on the DL. After a particularly bad day at work, an irresistibly stunning woman named Fox (Jolie) rolls up on him and takes him for the ride of his life.

The next thing Wes knows he has unwillingly pledged an ancient fraternity of assassins. The head of the frat (Freeman) has plucked Wes to replace Wes’s long-lost father, who was whacked during a recent assignment.

Even though his life sucks big-time and he’d love to kill his annoying supervisor, Wes wants no parts of a gig that has him taking people out for real. But no is not an option and Wes, under Fox’s tutelage, eventually follows in his dad’s footsteps and becomes one of the frat’s top guns.

Apart from the non-stop action, “Wanted” actually does have an engaging plot with tons of exciting twists toward the end. McAvoy, best known for his work in period dramas such as “Atonement” and for his supporting role opposite Forest Whitaker in “The Last King of Scotland,” was perfectly cast as Wes.

Jolie, who has had experience in this genre with “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” rocked it as the hot Fox. She can drive cars on two wheels and shoot bullets that bend. And Freeman does what he does best in movies, telling everyone else what to do.

Also making an appearance is Common, who plays the Gunsmith. He has very few lines, and as usual gets whacked before the end of the movie.

A little bit of Common, however, goes a long way especially when he’s in a good movie.